I've been checking out the new Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead - online only unfortunately. I wanted to write a little bit about it; especially so as I'm impressed by the freestyle setup, from what I've seen via the website. Some of the park designs look good, by indoor standards, and I like how the sessions run from Wednesday to Friday, each week (see below). Great if you're a local!
However, I won't get a chance any time soon to go there in person as it's a good deal to travel. So, in the meantime, I've hooked up with some people from the Snow Centre to get an overview of what's going on. I'm hoping also to get some photos of one of the freestyle nights...
The Snow Centre - Hemel Hempstead
The number of indoor snow slopes in the UK is increasing and bringing the benefits of year-round sport for both skiers and snowboarders. Until recently the south of the country was the only area not to have such a facility, but that all changed this year when The Snow Centre opened in Hemel Hempstead at the beginning of summer.
The Snow Centre, is situated close to London and is newest of the 6 real snow centres now in operation. Hemel Hempstead is easily reached by car or train and provides opportunities for millions of people based in the south and south-east to get on the snow and enjoy their sport. The Snow Centre offers membership options which reduces charges, but anyone can just pay for sessions on an individual basis.
The latest snow generation technology was used during construction of the centre and a bank of snow cannons ensure the two slopes, a 100m long training area and a 160m main ski slope, are fully covered with perfect snow. Overnight the air temperature of the snow hall is reduced and the cannons turned on to top up the covering. During the sessions the temperature is maintained at a reasonable minus one or two, which feels quite comfortable. In addition to the modern snow cannons, the latest POMA button lifts are used to keep things moving. For those not quite ready for a fast POMA there are also some slower rope lifts too.
The Snow Centre also has a full teaching programme and runs its own ski school using qualified BASI instructors. Individual sessions or blocks of lessons are available, as are some intensive fast-track courses for those eager to improve quickly.
Hire equipment is also top notch with the centre partnering with Head to make sure visitors have a choice of comfortable and suitable gear to use. For most sessions you'll need to wear a helmet, which is also included as part of the session fee. They have to be worn by children and are necessary for everyone for things like freestyle snowboarding.
The slopes provide good conditions for both skiers and snowboarders. Even cross-country skiers have their own sessions for technique training, and improving climbing and descending skills. The centre puts on a number of snowboard freestyle sessions where the staff put together combinations of kickers, rails, tubes and boxes in a park layout. These run each week from Wednesday, with additions made throughout the week building up to Friday night's four-hour Park and Ride freestyle event. This is now a very popular session, the place where experienced snowboarders show off their skills. About once per month the centre brings out a large Airbag for softer landings. The exact times of those sessions can be found on the centre's website.
Most sessions are open to everyone but some such as the snowboard freestyle slots require a certain level of competence - mainly for safety reasons. It's probably best to check with the centre staff before booking on to make sure you'll be OK. Advance booking is also recommended as most sessions have a limit on numbers.
A visit to The Snow Centre can be enhanced with a trip to its cafe and bar area, which also has a balcony area overlooking the slopes. Not quite the same as being outside a mountain cafe in Val D'Isere but quite nice all the same. The balcony also overlooks the fenced-off children's play area, if you have any youngsters who are too young for skiing and just want to mess about in some snow!
For a bit of retail therapy there's also on-site branch of Snow+Rock, fully stocked with the latest winter fashions and equipment choices.
The centre is already preparing for its busiest time of the year, the run up to the new ski season. The advantages of a few sessions on a real snow before you head off for your next ski holiday are obvious in terms of refreshing technique and getting your body used to the movements involved. For families a few sessions may help you decide if the children are ready for a winter snow holiday. In most cases the answer is a resounding "yes".
Website:
http://www.thesnowcentre.com/
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